Population 158,576 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Centre County
Household size in Centre County
| Period | Centre County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.55 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.55 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.67 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.34 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.20 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Centre County is a place of small households, averaging 2.34 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.55, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the northeast and smallest in the center.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Centre County
| Period | Centre County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.1 | 40.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.6 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.3 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 37.8 | 42.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.7 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Centre County is a little younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 37.8, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 35.1, mirroring the country. Only one other Pennsylvania county is younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Centre County
| Period | Centre County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.0% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.4% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.2% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Centre County: 5.5% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Only one other Pennsylvania county has a lower share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Centre County
Renters in Centre County
| Period | Centre County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.9% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 39.6% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 38.5% | 31.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 38.2% | 30.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is a bit more common in Centre County than nationally: 38.2% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Among homeowners, 42.8% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is down 1.7 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose. Only one other Pennsylvania county has a higher share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Centre County
| Period | Centre County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.2% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.7% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.4% | 10.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.5% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs a little high in Centre County: 11.5% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy has edged down 0.6 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Centre County
| Period | Centre County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1975 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1975 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1978 | 1965 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1979 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The typical home in Centre County was built around 1979, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are newer than in Pennsylvania overall, where the median home dates to 1967. The newest homes are mostly in the center, the oldest in the northeast. Of Pennsylvania's 67 counties, only four have newer homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Centre County
| Period | Centre County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $782 | $829 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $895 | $923 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,038 | $1,039 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,210 | $1,323 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$428 | +$494 | +$606 |
Rent in Centre County runs $1,210 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $428 a month from 2006–10, a 55% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 33.3% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in the south and lowest in the northeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Centre County
Bachelor's degrees in Centre County
| Period | Centre County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.1% | 27.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 41.0% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 49.1% | 31.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 52.3% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.2 pts | +8.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Centre County: 52.3% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree is up 8.2 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Few Pennsylvania counties have a higher share of college graduates: only two of 67.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Centre County
| Period | Centre County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.1% | 87.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.3% | 88.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.3% | 90.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.9% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.9 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Centre County: 94.9% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 3.9 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only five of Pennsylvania's 67 counties have a higher share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Centre County
| Period | Centre County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.4% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.0% | 8.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.6% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.9% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Centre County is close to the national rate: 4.9% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 1.5 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Centre County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centre County | 2.34 | 37.8 | 5.5% | 38.2% | 11.5% | 1979 | $1,210 | 52.3% | 94.9% | 4.9% |
| Clearfield County | 2.30 | 46.4 | 8.4% | 21.5% | 14.7% | 1968 | $821 | 21.6% | 91.1% | 5.4% |
| Snyder County | 2.55 | 42.1 | 7.4% | 24.4% | 9.3% | 1976 | $931 | 20.7% | 84.5% | 2.4% |
| Union County | 2.46 | 43.6 | 13.9% | 27.7% | 11.1% | 1970 | $1,058 | 32.5% | 88.1% | 2.0% |
| Northumberland County | 2.36 | 45.1 | 10.8% | 24.5% | 12.3% | 1959 | $893 | 19.3% | 90.2% | 3.8% |
| Montour County | 2.26 | 42.7 | 9.8% | 31.5% | 4.0% | 1974 | $1,114 | 38.6% | 93.8% | 3.0% |
| Schuylkill County | 2.40 | 43.8 | 12.3% | 23.9% | 13.4% | 1954 | $889 | 19.5% | 90.1% | 5.5% |
| Armstrong County | 2.31 | 46.5 | 8.3% | 21.2% | 12.4% | 1962 | $832 | 18.8% | 92.8% | 4.3% |
| Carbon County | 2.40 | 45.9 | 12.8% | 23.6% | 16.9% | 1965 | $1,079 | 19.0% | 90.7% | 7.7% |
| Butler County | 2.42 | 44.3 | 7.4% | 23.1% | 8.4% | 1980 | $1,148 | 40.1% | 95.9% | 4.3% |
| Lawrence County | 2.32 | 45.6 | 10.8% | 24.2% | 9.5% | 1959 | $949 | 23.9% | 92.3% | 5.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Kings County, CA · Sandoval County, NM · Indian River County, FL · Johnson County, IA · Jackson County, MI · Stafford County, VA · Madera County, CA · Martin County, FL · Maui County, HI · Merrimack County, NH
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Centre County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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